Category | |
---|---|
Country | Western United States |
Inaugural season | 1954 |
Manufacturers | Chevrolet · Ford · Toyota |
Tire suppliers | Goodyear |
Drivers' champion | Austin Pablo |
Teams' champion | Dillon Bates racing |
Makes' champion | Ford |
Official website | hometracks.nascar.com |
Current season |
The NASCAR K&N Pro Series West, formerly the Winston West Series and Camping World West Series, is a regional division of NASCAR. The series was first formed in 1954 as a proving ground for drivers from the western United States who could not travel to race in the more traditional stock car racing regions like North Carolina and the rest of the southern United States.
In 1954, the series was formed under the name Pacific Coast Late Model circuit, with nine races on the schedule. At first the series sanctioned races on dirt tracks and paved tracks, but as the series developed, more races were held on paved tracks, with the final race on a dirt track being held in 1979. In 1988, the series traveled out of the United States for the first time, sanctioning a race in Australia. Eight years later, the series once again traveled outside of the United States to Japan. In 1999, the season finale was held at Twin Ring Motegi, making it the first NASCAR championship race held in a different country. Four years later, NASCAR consolidated the Busch North Series into the series.
Jack McCoy has the most career wins in the series with 54, followed by Ray Elder with 47. Elder, however, has recorded six championships, the most out of any driver in the series. Other notable drivers who participated in the series include Ryan Blaney, Kevin Harvick, Brendan Gaughan, Derrike Cope, Chad Little and David Gilliland.
The other regional division at the Grand National level of NASCAR is the K&N Pro Series East.
The K&N Pro Series West began in 1954 as the Pacific Coast Late Model circuit. Nine races were in held in the first year, many of which were held in California, in cities such as Oakland, San Diego, San Mateo and Gardena. The inaugural series championship was won by Lloyd Dane driving a 1953 Hudson Hornet.